Care in Crisis campaign success

Thank you to everyone who has supported our Care in Crisis campaign to reform the social care system. Whether you signed our petition in 2012 or met with your MP to discuss the Care Bill, you have made a huge difference so that older people can get the care they need.

Age UK supported the Care Bill but recognised that there was room to improve it further for older people. In this respect, the Care in Crisis campaign has had some big successes:

All of this would not have happened without the thousands of people who have taken action with the campaign in the last 12 months. In that time, together we have:

sent thousands of messages to 80 key members of the House of Lords

sent over 5,500 postcards and emails to MPs

had over 1,200 meetings with MPs

secured 17,500 signatures for our human rights petition.

It goes without saying that this made a massive difference. Thank you.

So what’s next?

While it is a huge step in the right direction, the Care Act is not the end of the story. There remain two key questions that need to be addressed:

How will the care system work in the future?

How will the social care system be funded?

The Government will soon be publishing their regulations which will include the new lifetime care cap. These will be up for public consultation meaning that anyone will have the opportunity to comment.

Given the importance of these regulations – it is vital that the voice of older people, their families and carers is heard in the consultation.

We are currently looking at the best way to enable you to respond to the consultation and there will be more details soon.